Harry Potter and The Disappearance
by RupertRox
Summary: I'M BACK CHAPTER 6 IS UP! has Harry found a way to talk to Sirius!READ AND REVIEW!
1. The Big Change

_**Chapter 1: The big Change.**_

Harry Potter sat in his bed rubbing his forehead. He had just felt the most pain he had felt in months, yet somehow he felt pleased. _What's Voldemort so pleased for?_ He started thinking, for he knew that the pleased feeling he had wasn't his, it was Lord Voldemort's. Lately Voldemort has been feeling happier and happier, _but why? What is he doing? What has he achieved?_ A million questions had been running through his mind, he just wished they could be answered.  
Harry had only been back at Privet Drive for a month, but it felt like years. At least the Dursleys had been acting differently towards him, not out of a change of heart but out of fear. Every now and then Uncle Vernon, Harry's uncle, would say something like: "you tell those freaks—I mean friends of yours that we're not doing you any harm," or "are you happy enough now, boy? Are we making you feel _at home_?" Harry also noticed that the Dursleys had stopped threatening him, and this was a big change than what he was used to.  
He had had no contact with the magical world since his return from Hogwarts, and today's the day he should write to someone, tell them Voldemort is pleased about something. _But what if they don't care? What if the Order already knows? I'd be just wasting their time; they don't need to know about every time my scar hurt._ He wanted to talk to someone, he felt very lonely especially since Sirius's death. He picked up some parchment and a quill but he didn't know what to write, and who to write to. He wanted to write to Ron, but then started thinking _why didn't he write to me first? He knows I'm all by myself, he must be having too much fun with all his brothers and sister and parents who love him!_ No, he mustn't think that way! Ronald Weasley was his best friend; he was probably just too busy like last year. A month was a long time to wait though, so he started to write:

_Dear Ron,  
I haven't talked to anyone in the magical world for a month, and I am a little worried. I hope everything is okay. Is Hermione with you? I haven't heard from her either. The Dursleys are acting very differently towards me. They are not nice, but they are not horribly hateful either, I think they're just too scared though. Write back soon, and if you can, tell me when I can leave this horrible house.  
Talk to you soon (I hope), Harry._

He read and re-read his letter over and over, making sure there wasn't any information that Voldemort could get of his letter. Walked over to Hedwig and found that she was still asleep. He looked over at his clock and was surprised to find it saying 5:00 AM. His scar had woken him up so early. The Dursleys probably weren't up yet, and he didn't want to wake them, he liked them better when they were asleep. He put the letter next to Hedwig's cage, and let her sleep peacefully.  
A small tapping noise came from his window. He looked and saw a small owl twittering happily outside his window. "PIG!" He was so happy to see Ron's owl! He hurriedly opened the window and Pig came in carrying a package that was bigger than the owl himself. Harry opened the package so fast that it was as if it was the first time he saw a package. Inside was a cake that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY on it, and he assumed this was from Mrs. Weasley. Also inside was a card, a newspaper and a note. He picked up the card first. On the front of it was an illustration of a birthday cake with 16 candles on it and he Harry blowing out the candles, then the candles would re-ignite and the Harry in the picture would blow them out again. Harry opened the card and read:

_ Harry,  
Happy birthday mate! Sorry we haven't written to you in weeks, (actually a month Harry thought) but I've been really busy. Mom's making us clean like mad, she's turned mental over cleaning! Imagine that Harry, 2 summers and we're still not done! It's driving me crazy. I'm so tired!  
Have you heard from Hermione? She hasn't written to me at all, do you think something's wrong? I'm really worried; she's never been this long without writing! Even when she was in France she still managed to write. I Hope to hear from you soon. Ron_

Harry couldn't help but worry about Hermione. He hoped she would write today, it was his birthday after all, she always sent him something for his birthday. He reached in the box for the note.

_ Hope you like this issue of the Daily Prophet! We finally convinced Dumbledore to convince them to run this story. Hope you like it  
Ron_

He reached into the package and took out the newspaper. On the front page he was amazed to find a big picture of Sirius. Not the ones they had of him looking all crazy from Azkaban but a good one, one that looked like it was from after Azkaban, it looked like it was taken in number twelve Grimmauld Place. He was smiling, obviously happy. Harry couldn't bear to look at that picture, he felt so much pain growing inside him, he missed Sirius so much. If he could only talk to him one more time, _just once more_. Under the picture there was an article it said:

**Sirius Black: he was innocent  
**  
Presumed murderer, Sirius Black, turns out to be innocent. He was framed by the very wizard we thought he killed... (to read the rest turn to page 12.)

Harry couldn't bring himself to read the article. He knew the whole story anyway, why read it. He turned to page 12 anywayto see how long it was when he saw that it said a young friend of Black's wrote him a poem. Harry didn't want to read it, until he saw that it was written by Ginny Weasley. The poem said:

**Sirius Black: by Ginny Weasley  
**  
Sirius Black, oh, Sirius black,

You are what our hearts lack.

You are now beyond the grave,

You died protecting Harry, oh, you were so brave.

People really misjudged you,

They thought a murderer of you.

Oh, so many people were so wrong!

But you never quit, you stayed strong.

Now, oh now, they'll all know the truth,

They'll all want forgiveness for wasting your youth.

I hope you know that we all loved you,

And we want you to know that we'll always miss you. I

Causes us so much pain

To know that we'll never see you again.

There is one more thing we want to tell you,

Listen closely, this is completely true:

YOUR NAME WILL FOREVER BE INGRAVED IN OUR HEARTS.

Harry read the poem over and over. He couldn't hold back his tears any longer, so he just let them flow. _Ginny? Ginny wrote this?_ After reading this he realized something, he wasn't the only one affected by Sirius's death. Ginny was obviously really affected by Sirius's death. He suddenly felt guilty; he was so selfish thinking he was the only one sad about Sirius's death. He felt guilty that he didn't want to talk to anyone about how he felt about Sirius dying when he wasn't the only one feeling the same. They needed to talk about it too. Ginny has gotten her feelings out through this poem, he needed to get his feelings out too, he needed to talk about it with someone.  
He looked at his clock and was amazed yet again at the time. It was 7:45 already. He had spent all this time, reading and re-reading the poem. He wiped his face into his sheets and went to the kitchen for breakfast. When he reached the table, the Dursleys stopped talking as they always did when he came in nowadays. They were all looking at him, with what were supposed to be 'innocent' looks.  
"I presume you want us to get you a present!" said Uncle Vernon,  
"If you want, but I really don't need it from you." Harry felt too depressed to celebrate his birthday, and he didn't want to start another argument with his uncle.  
"What is that supposed to mean 'I don't need it _from you'_ we're not worth it?" his uncle retorted, his face slowly turning purple.  
Harry ignored him; he didn't want to argue, not now. He couldn't care less what his uncle thought. He got up and headed for the stairs while the Dursleys stared at him with open mouths, leaving so rudely without even answering his Uncle. Harry was tired of his aunt and uncle, no matter how "nice" they were, he couldn't stand them anymore! So he just wanted to leave the kitchen and he would go back to his room where he wouldn't be bothered.  
"Come back here boy! Don't you ignore me! I SAID COME BACK HERE!" His uncle stood up so fast that he threw his chair backwards with a big BANG on the ground. Harry came down the stairs now feeling furious that his uncle was yelling at him.  
"WHAT? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME! I SAID I DIDN'T WANT YOUR STUPID GIFTS!" Harry was now yelling.  
"You ungrateful FREAK! We try to make your life better out of the goodness of our hearts and you're here telling us tha—"  
"SHUT UP!" Everyone was surprised to find that Harry wasn't the one who said this. Dudley was on his feet, his plump face turning really pink making him look even more like a pig in a wig.  
"What is it Diddykins? What's wrong? Is all the shouting giving you a headache? Come on, come with mommy let's go out for breakfast huh, my little sweetie?" Aunt Petunia told Dudley, yanking his arm gesturing to him to go with her.  
"No, I don't want to. Leave me alone." He answered. Harry was used to his spoiled cousin yelling at his parents. But this time it was different, this time Dudley looked different, he looked almost sad? Dudley? Sad? But why? He always loved watching his father yelling at Harry, and he loved attention from his mother. Why was he acting so weird for?  
"What's wrong son? What's the matter?" Said uncle Vernon, not slightly mad about his son telling him to shut up. _If it was me I would have been strangled by now_ Harry thought indignantly.  
"Nothing, nothing...I just, I, I it's nothing, never mind." And with that he left to his room, leaving everyone guessing what could be wrong with him. What would cause such an outbreak? Harry hadn't seen Dudley act this weird since last summer when he was confronted by dementors. Harry took this opportunity to sneak off to his room, but he had no luck.  
"Where do you think you're going, boy? I'm not done with you yet!" His uncle started walking towards him, and had gotten so close to Harry that he spit out every syllable in Harry's face.  
Harry wiped his face with his sleeve, "say it don't spray it!" he said, laughing in his Uncle's face. All the fear he had once had of his uncle had now vanished. There was nothing that his Uncle could do to him that was worse than his fate. He was going to have to be a murderer, or be murdered. Nothing he could do could change that.  
"Don't get smart with me, boy!" Uncle Vernon was about to attack when he apparently he remembered the little chat he had at King's Cross Station. "Get out of my face, go on, leave!" He was infuriated; all he could do was send Harry away to his room.  
"Gladly." Said Harry coolly, a triumphant look on his face. Knowing that his Uncle was so irritated, yet he could do nothing about it, brought him pleasure. He went up the stairs, and when he passed by Dudley's room, he heard someone sobbing. He pushed the door and it squeaked open. His cousin, Dudley, looked up at him with puffy red eyes.  
"D Dudley, what's wrong?" he said shakily, for the first time in his life he felt bad for his cousin. "What are you crying for?"  
"It's--nothing, re—ally." He said in between sobs. Harry stepped into the room.  
"Dudley, tell me. It can't be nothing if you're crying."  
"Harry, I'm so sorry..."


	2. The Visit

_**Chapter 2: The visit.**_

"What? What are you sorry for Dud?" Dudley's apology had completely taken Harry by surprise; he expected everything except an apology, especially not from his cousin. Dudley never apologized for anything, let alone apologize to Harry.  
"I'm sorry dad was yelling at you." He said a little too quickly, and Harry didn't believe him. This couldn't be the reason Dudley was crying. Why the sudden change of heart. This was the first time Harry had ever had a conversation with Dudley without any insults, or shouting.  
"Dudley, tell me what's wrong. This can't be the reason you're cryin—"  
"I'm not crying! Don't ever tell anyone that! Just leave me alone!"  
"But Dudl—"  
"I SAID LEAVE!" Dudley was yelling at this point, so Harry got up and left. He didn't yell back because he knew Dudley didn't yell just for the fun of it as he always did, but because he was angry and frustrated. Harry had felt like that many times, and he didn't like it when people yelled back.  
But why was Dudley so aggravated? Why was he crying? Dudley's behavior had definitely changed over the summer, and Harry was very curious to find out why.  
When he reached his room, he found that an official looking barn owl was sitting on his bed. A large envelope tied to his leg. As soon as Harry untied the envelope, the bird took off through the open window. The envelope had the Hogwarts crest on it. He opened it and a collection of letters fell on his lap. There was the usual list of school books and notice to report to King's Cross on September 1st, and a paper that seemed to have a list of subjects on it. It was his O.W.L. scores.

_Dear Mr. Potter,  
The following are your O.W.L. Exam scores. Due to some changes, we have sent pupils their scores one week early. If you achieve an 'A' or above on one of your exams, you have passed. An 'O' stands for 'Outstanding', an 'E' stands for 'Exceeds Expectations', an 'A' stands for 'Acceptable', a 'P' stands for 'Poor', and a 'D' stands for 'Dreadful'. Here are your scores:_

_Transfigurations– E_

_Charms- E_

_History of Magic- P_

_Astronomy - A_

_Divinations- D_

_Herbology- A_

_Potions- A_

_Care of Magical Creatures- O_

_Defense Against The Dark Arts- O_

He had gotten O's in both Defense Against The Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures, he felt so proud, but he felt terrible that he had gotten an 'A' in potions, he remembered professor McGonagall telling him that Professor Snape didn't accept anything below an 'O' in his N.E.W.T classes. This eliminated all his hopes of becoming an Auror. _Stupid potions! Stupid O.W.L's! STUPID SNAPE! It's his entire fault; if he hadn't stopped teaching me Occlumency Sirius would be ALIVE!_ Harry suddenly found himself mad at Snape not for his O.W.L. grade, but for Sirius's death. It was so much easier to blame Snape.  
He sat down on his bed, tears flowing from his eyes. He found himself crying so many times this summer. He picked up the newspaper and started reading Ginny's poem again. '_You died protecting Harry, oh, you were so brave.'_ It was his, Harry's, fault. Sirius died to protect Harry. If it wasn't for his stupidity, if he had just listened to Hermione. If it wasn't for his love of _acting the hero_! Hedwig flew down to him, and rested on his shoulder. She hooted gently, obviously trying to make him stop crying.  
"Thanks girl" he said caressing her gently. "I have a letter for Ron I want you to take to him." He said remembering the letter he had written earlier this morning. He re-read it once more and decided to re-write it. After 10 minutes of trying, he came up with:

_Dear Ron,  
I'm really worried about Hermione. She hasn't written to me either. Do you think there's something wrong with her? Maybe she's just having fun on vacation, and has forgotten to write, or her letters never arrived. I hope there's nothing wrong. If we write to her, I'm sure she will answer.  
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the newspaper article. Tell Ginny that her poem was the best part, I loved it. Tell your mom thank you for the cake, it's delicious! Do you have any news about when I can leave this hell hole? I'd love it to be soon!_

_Write back soon, Harry._

"Here you go girl, take this to Ron." Harry said tying the piece of parchment to her leg. He watched her fly off out the window until she became a little dot and then disappear. He heaved a great sigh and stood up to leave his room. It was no good just staying here crying over Sirius, it wasn't going to make him come back. He crossed the room, opened the door and left.

"NO, NO SIRIUS. COME BACK!" Harry sat strait up in his bed, drenched in sweat. He had to blink a couple of times before he realized where he was in his room. He was breathing very heavily, having just revisited Sirius's death. He was fighting very hard not to cry, he couldn't just waste his life crying over Sirius. He was so tired, but he didn't want to go back to sleep incase he had anymore nightmares.  
He turned to look at his clock to find that it was 2:00 A.M. Next to his clock, he noticed a glass bottle illuminated by the moonlight coming through his window. He got up and walked over to it; flat on the desk next to the bottle was a single scarlet feather. Under the feather was a note, written in a narrow, loopy handwriting Harry recognized immediately.

_Harry,  
Drink this potion before going to sleep; it will help you have a dreamless sleep. I thought you might need it._

_ How does he always know everything?_ Harry was thinking, amazed that Dumbledore always knew what was going on with everyone and everything. How did he know Harry was having nightmares about Sirius? Maybe it was obvious that Harry would be having nightmares. Maybe Dumbledore knew that Harry would be so weak that he'd still have nightmares. Snape was right, he _was_ weak.  
Harry took some of the potion and went to bed. He lay there thinking for a while: About Sirius, about Voldemort, and about the prophecy. He was the only one that could defeat Voldemort, but how? He wasn't prepared at all! What if he met Voldemort right now, what would he do? He needed to prepare, and he needed to do it now! He should have started earlier, it had already been a week since his birthday and he was just wasting time doing nothing, or rather waiting for something to happen. Suddenly but calmingly, he felt sleep soothing in until it caught a hold of him and his thoughts were banished.

Harry woke up from the best night he had since his fourth year at Hogwarts. He had a nice dreamless sleep, and had woken up re-energized and ready for his preparations. Now that he thought about it, how was he going to prepare? He didn't know where to prepare, and what to prepare. How could he practice magic over the summer if he wasn't allowed to do magic outside of school? He did not want to use Umbridge's theory of "As long as you have studied the theory hard enough there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to perform the spells." He had to wait until he was back at Hogwarts, there were only three weeks left anyway.  
Since he had nothing to do, he decided today would be a good day to write to Hermione. Ron still hadn't answered his last letter, so Harry was going to write to him too, to see why he hadn't written yet. He picked up a piece of parchment and a quill and started writing:

_Dear Hermione,  
I hope you're ok, you haven't written all vacation. Ron says you haven't written to him either. I just hope nothing's wrong, because Ron and I are really worried. Please write back as soon as you can._

_Harry_

He didn't want to write too much, he didn't have anything to say. He walked over to Hedwig's cage, opened it and let her out. He tied the letter to her leg and she immediately flew away. As soon as she was out of sight Harry started working on Ron's letter.

_Dear Ron,  
Why haven't you written back yet? I feel like I'm really cut off from everyone! I'm going crazy all by myself, with only the Dursleys to keep me company. Dudley's improved though! He doesn't insult me or punch me anymore. All he does is sit in his room, sometimes crying. I've never seen him cry before (unless it was to get attention from his parents.) I think the Dementors gave him quite a scare last year; he won't say what's wrong though.  
WRITE BACK QUICKLY THIS TIME! And tell me if Hermione's written to you, because she still hasn't written to me and I just sent her a letter._

_Harry._

He put the letter down thinking that he would send it to him when Hedwig came back. He had gotten up to leave his room when he heard a pecking sound on his window. He turned around and saw Hedwig with a piece of parchment tied to her leg which he assumed was the letter he sent to Hermione. He opened the window and Hedwig flew in and landed on his shoulder. She stuck out her leg waiting for him to take the letter. He untied the letter, amazed at how fast Hedwig came back, and read:

_Dear Harry,  
I'm so sorry I haven't been able to write to you! I have your birthday gift with me, I wanted to surprise you and come and give it to you in person. Well as you see, I'm running a little late. We ran into some trouble but now we're fine, Ron is here with me (we went and picked him up on our way). I wanted this to be part of your birthday surprise, but I guess you'll be surprised all the same when you get this letter. We're really close to your Aunt and Uncle's house right now; we should be there in about 10 minutes. I hope your Aunt and Uncle won't mind, if they do we'll just have to call Mad Eye so he could give them another little scare! (Harry noticed that this last part wasn't written in Hermione's neat handwriting. but in Ron's messy scrawl and he couldn't help himself from grinning widely.) See you soon!_

_Hermione_

Harry felt the happiest he's felt in months, he was finally going to see his friends again. He looked around his messy room and began cleaning up; this was the first time they come to visit (unless you count the time in second year when Ron helped Harry escape the Dursleys, or when the Weasleys blew up the Dursley's living room) After his room was decent enough, he went downstairs to tell the Dursley his friends were coming over, expecting another row between his uncle and himself.  
When he finally reached the living room, he found all three Dursleys sitting on the couch watching TV. Dudley looked really pale, paler than he did when he got attacked by the Dementors. As soon as Harry entered the room, they all turned to look at him.  
"Er, my friends are, er, coming over, err, to see me, er, right now..." He said nervously, and dashed up the stairs. He was half way up when he felt a firm grip on his collar.  
"What do you mean 'right now'?" said his Aunt bitterly.  
"I mean at this moment, today, this hour, this minute, now!" he said, the nervousness leaving him now.  
"How are they coming?" said Uncle Dursley backing away from the fire place, afraid someone might blow up his living room...again.  
"By car, er, I think..." The letter hadn't said on how they were coming, but Hermione made it sound like it was by car. Since it was Hermione, she probably came by car driven by her Muggle parents. "Don't worry, Hermione's parents are Muggles, er, they're not wizards" he added looking at his Uncle confused face.  
"How long are they going to sta--" He was cut off by the door bell.  
"THEY'RE HERE!" Harry said smiling brilliantly.  
He opened the door and Hermione jumped on him in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh Harry it's so good to see you again! I—we've missed you so much! Happy late Birthday Harry" She said breathlessly handing him a basket full of his favorite candies. Behind her was Ron, grinning from ear to ear.  
"Hiya Harry mate, we've missed you. How's everything? Mad Eye's asking about you!" He said the last part louder than necessary making sure the Dursleys could hear him.  
"This is erm, Ron and this is Hermione," Harry said to the Dursleys, "and this is my Aunt Petunia, my Uncle Vernon, and my cousin Dudley Dursley." He told Ron and Hermione. Who in turn shook hands with the scared looking Dursleys.  
"These are my parents," said Hermione introducing her shy looking parents, who in turn also shook the Dursleys' hands.  
"I'm Vernon Dursley, and this is my wife Petunia and my son Dudley." Uncle Vernon had jumped up to introduce himself to the Grangers, obviously not scared knowing that they were Muggles. "Would you like to stay for some tea?"  
"We'd love to stay, but we just came to drop these kids off, we really don't have the time. It was nice meeting you all. Have a nice day" Mr. Granger answered courteously, before he and Mrs. Granger left.  
"So, how long are your little freak—I mean, friends going to stay here, boy?" Uncle Vernon asked Harry, dropping his nice man act now that Hermione's parents, the only Muggles, were gone.  
"A little while," Ron answered for Harry, "Mad Eye, I think you've made his acquaintance at king's cross at the end of last term, wants Harry to be happy, and at home, so he thought his best friends would give him that feeling!" He finished with a huge smile, knowing how mad he had made Uncle Vernon.  
"I guess we'll be going to my room now." Harry told the Dursleys and signaled to his best friends to come along. "That was brilliant!" he told Ron as soon as they had reached his room.  
"Yeah, I thought they needed some shutting up, calling us freaks and all." Ron said this as he sad down on Harry's bed reading the note Harry had written his earlier. When he finished he put the note down, "sorry I haven't written back earlier, I couldn't seeing as we were on the road, I had no time to answer you. As soon as I got your letter, Hermione came and said we were coming to get you."  
"Coming to get me? You mean I'm finally leaving!" This felt like the best day ever.  
"Of course you are! What kind of friends would we be if we left you here with those horrible people?" Hermione said with a slight smile, "but it's not until Monday. It's not that bad, Harry, Monday's only three days away." She added the last part after seeing the disappointed look on Harry's face.  
"You've never spent three days with the Dursley's before, have you? Three days feels like an eternity! How are we leaving anyway?"  
"Dunno, Dumbdoe saito come and eryfink wibe taken carof." Ron answered: his mouth full of Chocolate Frogs from the basket of sweets Hermione had brought Harry.  
"Those are for Harry!"  
" 'e wonmind, doya 'arry?"  
Harry shook his head, smiling. He was so glad to be with his friends again, finally after a month and a half. "You too don't ever stop bickering do you?" he said, stopping Hermione from continuing to argue. "I'm glad you're here!"  
There was a knock on the door, Harry went and opened the door. Dudley was at the door, the palest Harry had ever seen him, he took two steps into the room and fell. "Harry, you got to help me." He said as he was falling, and landed with a big THUNK on the floor.

**_REVIEW!_**


	3. Confessions

**_Chapter 3: Confessions._  
**  
"DUDLEY!" Harry yelled, bending down so quickly that he cracked his neck. "Dudley, wake up! What's wrong? DUDLEY!" It was useless, Dudley was out cold.  
"Oh my goodness," Hermione said, her voice stifled by her hand over her mouth. "Harry what's wrong with him! He's so pale!" She looked frightened; she went and sat back on the bed next to Ron who was trying to comfort her. "Harry I think you should call your Aunt and Uncle or they'll think we did something to him!"  
"But we didn't!" said Ron, looking at Harry for support.  
"She's right you know. They'll think we did do something to him, I better call them. UNCLE VERNON, AUNT PETUNIA!"  
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU SCREAMING FOR, BOY" was the first thing uncle Vernon said as he arrived. "My...my-my boy, my son. Dudley? DUDLEY! _What have you done to him!"  
_ "I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING! IF YOU WERE A GOOD ENOUGH PARENT, YOU'D KNOW THAT HE'S BEEN ACTING THIS WAY ALL VACATION!"  
"Ahh, my son! MY little boy! MY BABY!" Aunt petunia had just arrived and started weeping hysterically. She got on her knees and began, without any success, trying to shake Dudley awake.  
"What do you mean he's been acting this way all vacation? How has he been acting? Has he fainted before? Tell me, boy! NOW!"  
"You don't have to yell you know!" Shouted Harry, eyeing his uncle. "Well, he's been crying all holiday. On my birthday, I found him sitting in his room crying, and he said 'Harry, I'm sorry' and I asked for what and he said 'I'm sorry dad was yelling at you' but I knew he was lying and he wouldn't tell me the real reason he was crying." Harry said all of this so fast, he had to stop to catch his breath, "And then before, when I came to tell you Ron and Hermione were coming, I saw he was really pale, and now he came knocked on the door and fell saying 'Harry you got to help me' and I have no idea what's wrong with him"  
"I don't believe you! Why would Dudley here cry! YOU THREE FREAKS DID SOMETHING TO HIM!"  
"We didn't!" Hermione said, her eyes watering.  
"Listen here you fat bastard, WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! Harry was telling the truth, and if you can't get it through that thick head of yours, then it's not worth wasting our time on you!" Ron said angrily, his ears turning red; not out of embarrassment, but out of fury.

"How dare you!" uncle Vernon uttered, advancing on Ron, but Ron was too quick for him. Pulling out his wand he said:  
"Come one step closer and I'll blow that stupid head of yours right off that huge body. We've already told you WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" At this, Aunt Petunia, who was still kneeling alongside Dudley, but her full attention was with Ron and Vernon, jumped up in alarm and hid behind her husband.

Harry stared at Ron, his jaw on the floor, how he stood up to uncle Dursley. _He shut him up right!_ Harry was amazed, and glancing at Hermione's shocked face, he knew she was thinking the same.  
"I think you should call the ambulance Mr. Dursley, we won't help Dudley just by staying here arguing about who did what." Hermione said, before anyone else could retort to Ron's outburst, her voice slowly coming back as she was talking.  
"No, no... I'm fine, I am." Everyone was so busy with the argument between Uncle Vernon and Ron that they didn't even notice Dudley had woken up and was now leaning against the wall for support. "I was just feeling a bit dizzy. I'm fine mum, really," he continued as Aunt Petunia fussed over him once more.  
"Are you sure son? Are you sure it wasn't these _freaks_ that did something to you?" Spat uncle Vernon, a sour expression on his face.  
"No, no they didn't do anything to me. Really, I'm fine." He seemed to have his parents convinced, so they nodded and left the room in silence. Dudley walked over to the door and closed it behind them. Then crossed the room and sat down on Harry's bed making the side he was sitting on go down and the side where Hermione was sitting go up.  
"Harry, you have to help me." He said to Harry's shoes.  
"What's wrong Dudley? You have to tell me if you want me to help you." Harry had never felt this way towards his cousin. The only thing he ever felt towards his cousin was hatred, but now he felt—was it _compassion?  
_  
"I've gotten myself in some big trouble, with a...with a—a—a wizard." He said the last word so quietly that Harry had to lean in closer to hear him.  
"A wizard? Don't _you_ call us freaks too, like your stupid git of a father?" Ron snapped back at him, he looked really mad and seemed to have it in for the Dursleys today.  
"My father isn't a git! And I—I don't want to call you freaks, would you just listen--?"  
"Who's this wizard you have gotten in big trouble with, Dudley?" Hermione interrupted staring at him intently.  
"He said he would help me as soon as I told him I was Harry's cousin." Was Dudley's answer.  
"But who was he?" Hermione asked again impatiently this time.  
"Lucius Malfoy"  
"WHAT!" they said in unison.  
"What? Do you know him?" Asked Dudley. He wasn't a very good actor. Harry could tell that Dudley already knew that the three of them were familiar with Lucius. "How did you meet him? How do you know we know him? HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID!" Harry was infuriated. "How did he help you? Did it have anything to do with Voldemort?"  
Dudley shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well you see I didn't know exactly—"  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'exactly'"  
"Just let him finish Ron! Go on Dudley; tell us everything from the beginning. I'm sure Harry and Ron will stop interrupting you, _wont you!"_ Hermione shot both of them angry looks.  
"Yeah...whatever" Ron mumbled.  
"Sure, sorry Dud..."  
"Good! Go on Dudley, tell us _everything."  
_ "Well, remember last year when those Dementors attacked us and were going to perform the kiss on us, Harry?" Dudley began explaining.  
"How do you remember their name and the Dementor's kiss?" Harry asked suspiciously.  
"He will tell us if you would just _stop interrupting!"_ Hermione was obviously very curious to know what happened.  
"FINE! Go on Dudley, dear." Harry said sarcastically.  
"Right, well since that night, I found out that magic is a really powerful thing." Harry didn't even recognize his cousin anymore. He wasn't guffawing stupidly, or being rude and offensive. He was talking seriously, like a normal person, not like Dudley. "I wanted to learn more about it. I guess I was...jealous. I wanted to learn magic; I wanted to have powers too, so I thought I'd find a wizard that can help me. That big man that came and got you from us six years ago said you were really famous, so I thought it'll be easy to find a wizard if I just asked them 'Do you know Harry Potter?' and I was right. I went out and asked anyone—weird looking—you know, different, they—you wear wizarding robes, not Muggle clothes." _Muggle? Dudley used the word Muggle? _This was way too weird to Harry.  
"When I asked Mr. Malfoy, he said that he did know who you were, so I asked if he was a wizard and he said yes. I was very excited, so I told him I was your cousin and he was very interested. I told him I wanted to learn magic, and he said I couldn't learn like wizards could, but I could learn like a squib." Like a squib, Dudley knew what a squib was? "So he started teaching me over the summer, last summer when you were gone. No one knew about this but us, he didn't want to be seen with a Muggle and I didn't want to be seen with a wizard." He looked at them all, nervously scratching his arm. As Dudley pulled up his sleeve Harry saw what looked like a tattoo on Dudley's forearm. Dudley caught his eye and pulled his sleeve down rapidly.  
"Dudley is that—is that what I think it is." Harry's eyes widened, _how can Dudley be so stupid!  
_ "What?" Dudley answered innocently. Harry walked over to Dudley pulled his sleeve up to reveal a Dark Mark. Harry gasped, Hermione uttered a little shriek, and Ron stood there his mouth wide open, staring at the mark.  
"Are you—how can you—but—but you're a Muggle! Are you a Death Eater!" Ron was the first one to regain awareness, and asked the question.  
"I—I—yes. I'm the only Muggle Death Eater ever."  
"HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID?" Harry yelled pulling out his wand and pointing it at Dudley.  
"Harry NO!" Hermione jumped on him pulled the wand from his hands... "Can't you see that he's harmless, V-Voldemort only used him to spy on you but now he has a problem with him, am I right?" She looked firmly at Dudley.

"Well, sort of. See, Mr. Malfoy took me to The Dark Lord the last day of summer last year, he said if anyone could help me learn magic it would be the most powerful wizard in the world." He took a deep breath and stared directly into Hermione's eyes, and she stared back. "He told me that if I became a Death Eater, I'd learn very powerful dark magic that even Harry can't do. All I'd have to do was follow his orders and I'll be able to do magic. So I said yes..."  
"How can you! That's the worst thing you could ever do! Do you not know what you've got yourself into!" Hermione looked angrier than Harry had ever seen her. "I suppose he asked you to spy on Harry didn't he?"  
"Yes"  
"How are you in trouble with Lucius Malfoy?" Ron said, trying very hard to be calm.  
"Well, as you probably already know, Mr. Malfoy is in Azkaban, he wouldn't have been if I had followed his orders. He wasn't supposed to come to the Department of Mysteries on—" He was interrupted yet again by a knock on Harry's bedroom door.  
"OPEN THIS DOOR THIS INSTANT, BOY! What are you locking your door for!" Uncle Vernon came in purple faced. "Dudley, what are you doing here? Come with me don't stay here with these—these _freaks_" Judging by the look he just gave Ron, he was obviously still very mad at him. Dudley, who was shaking from head to toe, and who's pale face seemed even paler then Harry had ever seen it before, dazedly arose form Harry's bed and walked out of the room, following his father. Dudley looked back with a pleading look and closed the door behind him.  
As soon as Harry heard them walk down the stairs and into the living room, he turned to look at Ron and Hermione and asked. "Was it just me or did you notice something weird about him?"  
"Weird! Are you crazy, Harry? He's a Death Eater! What are we waiting for! We've got to inform Dumbledore immediately! Or someone from the Order! Dudley must know where V-Voldemort and his followers are!" Hermione gasped.  
"I say he's lying about something. I wouldn't trust him if I were you, mate, I mean what proves his story?" said, ignoring Hermione's bawl.  
Harry didn't answer, he was too busy thinking. _Dudley... a Death Eater?_ He's been a spy for Voldemort all this time; Harry should have known, he should have been more careful. "We've got to tell Dumbledore."  
"Didn't I JUST say that?" Hermione said incredulously.  
"But how? We can't send an owl, it might get intercepted!" Ron looked panicky all of a sudden. "What if V-V-You-Know-who comes here? What will we do!"  
"He won't" Harry said quietly to the wall.  
"How do you know? We're not safe here! We should leave now, not Monday!"  
"No, we're safe here He can't come here."  
"How do you know?" Harry still hadn't told them about his talk with Dumbledore at the end of the year last year. It was time, he should tell them now.  
"Remember at the end of last year, when we came back from the Ministry of Magic? I had a long talk with Dumbledore..." He told them everything, about the prophecy, about how his mother's blood would keep him safe, how he was the only one who could defeat Voldemort.  
"Harry, why didn't you tell us? We-we- we would have helped. We..." Hermione broke down crying.  
"Hermione, Hermione it's ok, it's..." He didn't know what happened until he found that Hermione was in his arms sobbing into his chest.  
"Harry I'm sorry. We should have been better friends. It must have been horrible all summer here with only these _terrible_ people and I haven't written a single letter because I was with Viktor and—and-and..."  
"Viktor? Viktor Krum?" Ron asked, jumping to his feet.  
"Oh Ron, don't start..."  
"What do you mean 'don't start' I'm not starting anything. I'm just saying that you'd rather be with _Vicky boy_ than m—your best friends!" His ears were turning pink  
"Ron you're being so insensible to Harry! This isn't about me or you or Viktor, it's about Harry!"  
Realization dawned on Ron "I'm sorry, mate...I didn't mean...I'm sorry" He turned to look away.  
"It's ok, really. Hermione you don't have to cry over this, crying won't help make it better." Harry said, talking to Hermione who backed away from him wiping her eyes. "I should know, it's what I've been doing most of the summer..." he tried to look brave but hedidn't pull it off, he was fighting hard not to cry right now.  
"So this means that you're the only one that can defeat V-V- You-Know- Who."  
"Say his name Ron. VOLDEMORT! See, I said it, nothing happened. It's just a name!"  
"Ok, so this means that you are the boy that was born on the 31st of July, and your parents defied V-V-Vol--him three times. Do you know how they escaped him?"  
"No, I didn't ask. I wish I had though." _How did they escape? How did they run into him?_ Harry wondered.  
"Maybe they were aurors or something!"  
"Wow, do you think? My parents, aurors? Maybe I should've asked Siri—" He broke off, thinking of Sirius made him hurt. He didn't want to cry in front of his friends. He tried to think of anything else to say as Ron and Hermione watched him intently, but he was lost for words.

"What are you doing to prepare." Hermione asked Harry breaking the awkward moment of silence, and Harry was thankful for a change of subject.  
"I was thinking of that, I thought maybe we could continue with the D.A lessons when we go back to Hogwarts." As soon as he said that Hermione shrieked yet again, but this time it was a happy one.  
"Really! You'll continue the D.A! That's great news Harry! I don't think professor Dumbledore will say anything, we can ask him to make an announcement at the start of term feast! Oh this is going to be great Harry, oh thank you!"  
"Do you really think we should give it that much publicity as to ask Dumbledore to announce it in front of everyone? What if a Slytherin wants to join?" Ron asked, his grin turning into a frown.

"That would be a good thing Ron! Not all Slytherins are bad you know! And the Hogwarts Houses joining together—it's what our school needs. Don't you remember the sorting hat's song last year? The whole separation of students into different houses is barbaric." Hermione said, crossing her arms.  
"Yeah you might be right," Ron nodded in agreement. However, Ron clearly said this just to stop Hermione from going on with her lecture. "Hey Harry, you got anything to eat here, I'm starving."  
"I think Aunt Petunia will serve dinner in 10 minutes. Wow we've been here for hours!" He was amazed at how much time elapsed as they were talking. "Erm, where will you two sleep tonight, I don't think there's much room here." Harry said, looking around his bedroom.  
"Don't worry about it Harry, Hermione bought a wizard's tent on our way here, we'll set it up in your room, it'll take up the whole room, but inside it'll be larger than the whole house. She said it was '_so that we don't intrude in the Dursleys' life...'_"  
"Brilliant!" Harry's mood was definitely lighter than it had been all summer. "Hey! I almost forgot, did you two get your O.W.L scores?"  
"Yeah, Hermione got ten O.W.L's Outstanding innine of them!" Ron said this looking at Hermione with a jealous look. "I got six O.W.L's which wasn't that bad until Hermione showed up at my house telling my mom how she got Outstandings in nine and Exceeds Expectations in the last one and mum started lecturing me on how I should be more like her and stuff." Hermione was trying not to look proud of herself but her smile was giving it away.  
"How about you Harry?"  
"I...er got seven O.W.L's. I got an 'A' in potions..."  
"That's great, Harry!"  
"No it's not, if you don't get an 'O' or higher in potions O.W.L Snape doesn't accept you in his N.E.W.T Potions class. If I don't take potions I can't be an auror!" Anger was flowing through him again.  
"Exactly, _Snape_ doesn't accept anything below an 'O' not someone else."  
The anger he was feeling was washed away by confusion. "Yeah, but Snape teaches potions not someone else."  
"Harry, don't you know about Snape?"  
"Know what about Snape?" Harry asked curiously.

**Cliffhangers...gotta luv 'em!**


	4. Friend or Foe

_**Chapter 4: Friend or Foe?**_

"Harry, Snape isn't going to be teaching us potions this year." Hermione explained.

"He isn't!" said Harry happily, but his happiness was overrun by curiosity. "Why?"

"Dumbledore gave him the whole year off because, well, because Snape is getting married." She said matter-of-factly.

"MARRIED!" said Harry loudly, he expected any answer but this one, "but who in their right mind would ever _want_ to marry Snape?"

"Yes, he's getting married." Answered Hermione incompletely, throwing Ron a shifty look.

"But who would ever want to marry _him_?" Harry repeated, more urgently this time.

Hermione had a hesitant look on her face.

"Well, you see..." She shot Ron another look but this time it was more of a should-I-tell-him look. Harry took it by this look that they were keeping something from him and it was very displeasing. It didn't improve the way Harry was feeling when Ron shook his head.

"What's that supposed to mean!" Harry asked bitterly, shaking his head in a nasty imitation of Ron. "What are you hiding from me? TELL ME!" His anger was taking control again; it was rising at an alarming rate. He was tired of being kept in the dark, he wanted answers and he wanted them now.

"What are you getting angry for, mate? What's the big deal with who Snape's marrying anyway? Why should you care at all?" Ron was trying, without any success, to calm Harry down.

"Why should I care? Eh, why? You're asking _why_!" Harry's temper was rising by the second, "I'll tell you why! BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO TELL ME THAT'S WHY! YOU TWO ARE ALWAYS KEEPING THINGS FROM ME AND I DON—"

"It's for your own good, Harry." Hermione cut him off.

"MY OWN GOOD? _MY OWN GOOD_! I CAN HANDLE IT, YOU KNOW! I'M 16 YEARS OLD AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH THINGS THAT PEOPLE WON'T GO THROUGH IN A LIFETIME, AND APPARENTLY IT'S NOT YET OVER! I THINK I'VE PROVED I CAN HANDLE IT, DIDN'T I? WHAT MAKES YOU TWO ABLE TO HANDLE IT AND NOT ME? GO ON; TELL ME, I'M VERY CURIOUS TO KNOW!"

"That's exactly why we can handle it, Harry, because we haven't been through what you have. This news would have a more powerful impact on you than it did on us."

Harry looked right into Hermione's tearful eyes as if searching for the answers to his questions, which Hermione always seemed to have.

"But why—" he took a deep breath. "Look, are you going to tell me or not—WHY CANT YOU TELL ME!"

"Because." Said Ron, whose temper also seemed to be rising.

"Because what?" asked Harry, irritated.

"Just _because_!"

"Because _what_!"

"BECAUSE!"

"BECAUSE WHAT!"

"BECAUSE IT'S BELLATRIX LESTRANGE!" yelled Ron.

"What?"

"BE-LA-TRIX LE-STRANGE!" Ron repeated pronouncing every syllable loudly and clearly "Snape is marrying Bellatrix Lestrange, The Death Eater! The one that killed your godfather, the one that killed Sir—!"

"Ron, _stop_!" Hermione pleaded. She had started crying now.

"He wanted to know!" Ron was furious now. His ears were as red as Harry had ever seen them, but Harry didn't care about Ron's anger.

"Snape is marrying that awful woman? But why? Why would he? She—she's the one that killed Sirius! It's both their faults. It's because of Snape that Sirius went to the ministry in the first place and she—she's the one that killed him there. _They must have been plotting this all along! _Snape always had it in for Sirius, that's probably why. I should have known!" Harry was saying this more to himself than to Ron and Hermione.

"Harry, you know that's not true, he wouldn't. Dumbledore trusts him, and so should we. There must be some good explication for this but unfortunately we don't know it," said Hermione, tears abating slowly.

"How do you know?" asked Harry.

"Know what?" answered Hermione.

"About Snape and Lestrange?"  
"We heard Ron's parents talking about it when I went to the Burrow to pick him up. I'm assuming this is just a plan from the Order of The Phoenix"

"I still don't trust him. He's always been jealous of Sirius! If he had just left Sirius alone he'd still be alive. I don't trust him!" said Harry.

"Well, I think we should trust him. Dumbledore must have good reasons to trust an ex-death eater. Don't you trust Dumbledore?"

This calmed Harry down. He trusted Dumbledore, and he trusted Hermione's judgment. He knew that she was almost always right.

"I'm sorry Harry, mate, about er—before—" Ron blurted out unexpectedly.

"No, it was my fault, I shouldn't have yelled at you tw—"

"—I shouldn't have said all those horrible thin—"

"—You wouldn't have if I didn't—"

"--Yeah but I shouldn't have gone that far—"

"—it's ok, really—"

"—No it's not—"

"Will you two just drop it?" Said Hermione, but Harry was glad to see that there was a smile on her face.

There was a moment's silence before Ron started talking. When he did, he said, "Shall we go down to dinner? I'm starved!"

"I think that we should set up the tent first," said Hermione bossily.

"_Fine_." Said Ron, rolling his eyes.

Seconds later, they started setting up the tent. They pushed all of Harry's furniture to the far corner of the room (this took very little time since the Dursleys never bothered to furnish his room.). Hermione then picked up what looked to Harry like a schoolbag, tapped it lightly with her wand, and put it down in the middle of the floor. What Harry took to be a bag turned out to be the tent, which sprang to life quickly taking up about half of Harry's already small room.

As they entered the tent to put Harry's trunk in, Harry's jaw dropped; inside was a three-story house. A spiral staircase ran through all three floors, starting from the first floor living room.

"Each floor has a living room, a bathroom, a toilet, two bedrooms, and a kitchen." Hermione read out loud of the booklet that came with the tent.

"What are we going to need all that for?" asked Ron.

"Well, we could each take one floor to ourselves, it'll be like having our own apartment, and it says here that it's already furnished." She answered.

"Wicked!" said Ron, "my own apartment, I've always wanted one."

"Really!" Said Hermione excitedly.

"No...But now I think it'd be cool" said Ron. It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes. "Can we eat _now_?"

Dinner that night was a silent affair except for Ron who started a little conversation by saying: "I don't think _Mad-Eye_ would be happy if he heard this is what they feed you, Harry." Talking about the dietary food Aunt Petunia served them, while Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia exchanged frightened looks.

"Do you want me to make you something else boy—er—I mean Harry?" she said.

"It's too late now," Ron answered for Harry, "but do try harder next time."

Aunt Petunia looked as if she wanted nothing more than to blow Ron's head off and beat whatever was left of him to a pulp. Harry and Hermione exchanged grins and immediately looked down at their plates so as to not laugh.

When dinner was over, the three of them when up to Harry's Room to get ready for bed. Hermione chose to take the third floor of the tent, Ron took the second, and Harry was left with the first.

As they each got ready for bed, Harry heard someone walking in the hallway outside his room. The person was saying "Filthy Muggles!" in a voice Harry recognized but couldn't decipher who it belonged to. As quickly as he could, Harry left the tent curious to know whom the voice belonged to. He stuck his head out of his bedroom door just in time to see the figure of a tall blonde man entering Dudley's room. Harry recognized him immediately: it was Lucius Malfoy.

"But what's Lucius Malfoy doing here? Isn't he supposed to be in Azkaban?" Asked Ron as Harry dragged both he and Hermione out of the tent telling them what he had seen and hurrying to Dudley's room. They crossed the hall quickly and Harry, who arrived first, rammed his knuckles on Dudley's bedroom door.

"Dudley, open the door!" Harry commanded urgently.

A small cough came from Dudley's room.

"I'm coming." said a voice that sounded little like Dudley.

Harry couldn't wait any longer, pointing his wand to the door he said "_Aloham_—"

"Harry _stop_!" Hermione said taking Harry's wand away. "We're not to do magic outside of school, remember!"  
"But Lucius Malfoy's in there! The Ministry of Magic won't say anything if it's a Death Eater we're dealing with!"

"Harry, are you _sure_ it's Malfoy? I mean, its like Ron said, isn't it? Isn't Lucius Malfoy supposed to be in Azkaban?" Hermione said thoughtfully. She knocked on the door more urgently than Harry did before and said, "Dudley let us in—!" But before she could finish her sentence, Dudley appeared at the door.

"_Yes_?" Dudley asked a bit too politely, "How can I help you?"

"Where is he?" Harry asked pushing Dudley aside walking into the room and starting his frantic search for Lucius Malfoy.

"Where's who?" Dudley asked, his face slightly bewildered because Harry was tearing his room apart. "Hey! Stop that!"

Harry searched the whole room twice, then when he found nothing, he took his wand back from Hermione and pointing it directly at Dudley he said: "Where is Malfoy!"

"Malfoy? Lucius Malfoy?" Dudley repeated with a slightly nervous laugh, then looking at Harry, Ron, and Hermione in turn he continued, "What makes you think _he's_ there? You know very well that Mr. Malfoy is in Azkaban. I can assure you Lucius Malfoy is _not_ in this room nor is he in this house. Mr. Malfoy is a respectable wizard that wouldn't be caught dead in a Muggle home."

"You said you were in trouble with him, you never got a chance to finish your story. _Well, here is your chance_." Said Ron.

Dudley heaved a great sigh.

"Sure, I'll continue my story, but not here, my parents will suspect something."

"Fine then, let's go to Harry's room, there is plenty of room in the tent and no one will be able to hear us in there," Ron said and he led the way back to Harry's room and into the tent.

Harry was amazed at Dudley's reaction to the tent: absolutely nothing. Harry expected at least a gasp, but there was none. Dudley acted as if he was entering a regular Muggle tent. Harry first thought this was suspicious but decided to forget it. Maybe Dudley had seen a magic tent before.

"Ok then, enlighten us with your story." Ron said rather coolly.

"Where was I again?" He took a minute to ponder and said, "Ah yes! On that day in June, when the Dark Lord put that vision into your head of your god father dying, Mr. Malfoy was not supposed to go to the Ministry of Magic, _I was_." At this Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth. "You see, the Dark Lord, in his brilliance, knew that if it was I you saw that day, you would have been so surprised that you would drop your guard. That would have been our chance to seize you and get the prophecy. But that brilliant plan was ruined because I cowered. Lucius Malfoy had to take my place and now, he is in Azkaban. So both he and the Dark Lord are out to find me and _you_," He said pointing to Harry, "you are my only hope of getting out; you have got to help me."

During Dudley's whole speech Harry was looking down at the floor so that none of them could see his face. A soon as Dudley, finished Harry looked up, tears flowing from his bloodshot eyes. "You knew their whole plan! You were part of the plan! THEY KILLED MY GODFATHER! _YOU_ KILLED MY GODFATHER! WHY SHOULD I HELP YOU! TELL ME, WHY SHOULD _I_ HELP _YOU_!"

"Harry I've said this before, I'm sorry! I was really stupid; I didn't really know what I was doing. I tried to get out as soon as I realized. I—I—I'm really sorry Harry, I really am."

"It's too late for apologies," Harry said tonelessly, almost robot-like, looking down again. "Get out of my room."

"But Harr—"

"GET OUT!"

Dudley left the room without another word.

For the next ten minutes, Ron and Hermione would occasionally look at each other, open their mouth as if to say something then close them again. Finally, Hermione broke the silence.

"Harry, we know—we know what it feels like. We miss Sirius too. It helps if you talk about it. Harry please..." Harry got up and left for one of the two bedrooms on his floor of the tent. He didn't feel like talking about it, there was nothing to talk about.

As soon as he arrived at his room, he reached under his pillow for July 31st's issue of the _Daily Prophet_ which he kept there and read over every night. During the daytime, many things happen that distract Harry from thinking about Sirius, but at nighttime, when he was all alone, all he could think about was Sirius. He started reading Ginny's poem again, even though he didn't need to anymore. He had it memorized from reading it so many times before.

He read the poem over and over until he fell asleep with the newspaper slipping from his hand.

Next morning, Harry woke up earlier than Ron and Hermione, got dressed and left the tent. With his destination in mind, Harry automatically went through the kitchen, which he found unusually deserted, and out into the backyard. His legs were pulling him across the lawn to the bench where four years ago, he first saw Dobby the house-elf.

_Dudley's a Death Eater...? _He thought_...He was part of the plan to kill Sirius, but he got out as soon as he could...should I trust him...? Should I trust Snape? Snape is marrying Bellatrix Lestrange...Hermione must be right, this must be a plan from the Order, how else could two Death Eaters get married without anyone noticing?...How are they getting married, anyway?_

Thoughts were running through his head, one on top of the other. He didn't know which ones to listen to first. Shaking his head in attempt to rid his mind of all thoughts, he looked up at the early morning sky. If only his head was as clear as the sky above. Thinking only brought him pain and misery, and he was tired of it. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop his thoughts.

Harry sat there for a long time, thinking hopelessly. Little did he know, Lucius Malfoy was looking at him through Dudley's bedroom window, watching his every move, with a malicious smile across his face. Harry suddenly had a feeling he was being watched. It sent a shiver down his spine to see that he wasn't as alone as he thought. Dudley (and as far as Harry could see, Dudley was alone,) was staring at him through the window. Harry didn't like the look on Dudley's face and thought it best to go back up to the tent. With more thoughts rushing through his mind at the discovery of Dudley's watch over him, Harry got up and left the back yard.

As he entered the tent, Harry was greeted by the smell of a delicious breakfast. Following the scent, he climbed the steps where his nose led the way to the third floor kitchen. There, he found Ron and Hermione hunched over the stove cooking a breakfast of what seemed to be Harry's favorite foods.

Hermione was first to notice Harry's arrival. "Good Morning," She said a timid smile creeping across her face, "I hope we didn't wake you with all this noise. Ron and I thought I'd be nice if we had our breakfast together, without the Dursleys."

"Brilliant!" Said Harry, a smile spreading across his face. His friends always knew how to cheer him up; he didn't know what he'd do without them. "Everything smells delicious!"

"Ron made mostly everything; He cooks almost as good as his mom!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Really!" said Harry, "then he wont mind making us dinner." Ron's embarrassed grin turned immediately into a mock frown, than back into a cheerful laugh shared by all three.

Their laughter suddenly ceased as a burst of fire formed in the air on top of the table. Fawkes the phoenix appeared to them out of thin air, a piece of parchment rolled up in the bird's beak. Hermione quickly took the note and read:

"_Change of plans, get yourselves packed. You will be leaving today. As soon as you are ready, each of you grab onto Fawkes and you'll be transported to your destination. We'll tell you more when you get here, signed: Moody."_

"We're leaving today?" said Ron putting a piece of sausage in his mouth, "I wonder why."

"We've no time to wonder now!" Hermione snapped, "or to eat for that matter!" She took Ron's plate away while Ron stared at it longingly.

"D'you think Fawkes will be able to take me with my trunk and everything? Isn't it a bit too heavy?" Harry asked two minutes later as they started packing.

"We can put everything in the tent and take the tent with us." Said Ron. "When we get there, we'll open the tent and take everything out. Magic tents are bewitched so that they weigh little even if you put a dragon in there."

"Good thinking Ron! Come on, quick, let's hurry!" said Hermione.

With the help of his two best friends, Harry was packed and ready to go in no time at all. They put everything back in the tent then Hermione tapped it with her wand. The tent sprang to life again, it became smaller and smaller until it was returned to its original schoolbag size. When they were ready, they each grabbed onto one of Fawkes's long golden tail feathers—Ron carrying the tent—and disappeared in a flash of flames.


	5. Extraordinary Girl

_**Chapter 5: Extraordinary Girl.**_

This was the strangest sensation Harry ever had. He had never traveled this way before and it was a completely different experience. Although fire was fiercely burning all around him, Harry felt very cold. Also, it felt as if his molecules had melted and became liquid. Harry could no longer feel his grip on the long golden phoenix tail feather; it felt as if his and Fawkes's molecules blended together and were inseparable.

The trip only took seconds, but the feeling of being liquid lasted for some time. When they arrived, it took them a while to recollect their molecules together. When Harry felt the hard floor under his feet, it came as a surprise that he was standing. He expected to be a paddle on the floor.

"That was _something_!" Harry heard from somewhere to his left. Ron was standing a few feet away and looking at himself as thought checking that he was whole and solid again.

"Very unusual, wasn't it? All around us was fire but we felt like cold water." said Hermione who, like Ron, was making sure she was solid. "I wonder why we are _here_, out of all places!" She added after finishing her self-inspection.

Harry looked around the room. He was nowhere he had ever been before. They were in an expensive-looking girl's room. The walls were painted a soft lavender that matched the bed covering and drapes on the two widows. A flat screen television hung on the wall opposite the bed. There were bookshelves all around the room full of a mixture of Muggle and magic books, and about a dozen teddy bears sat on the bed.

"Where are we? D'you reckon we're supposed to be meeting someone from the Order here?" said Ron after having walked by the television three times and looking at it as if it was lethal.

"I bet we are meeting Mad-Eye," said Harry, "he was the one that sent the note, wasn't he? And he's decided to meet here for some reason."

"It's a very peculiar place to meet someone from the Order here, isn't i—"

"Why would we meet in Muggle home? Do you think it's a kind of distraction?" Ron interrupted Harry.

"That's not why it's peculiar—" Hermione began, but Ron had cut her off again.

"I've never seen this place before, why would Fawkes bring us here? I have a funny feeling about this." And he continued his search around the room, looking at the wardrobe full of wizard robes and Muggle clothes.

"This is a girl's room isn't it? I mean, look at these," said Ron with a revolted look as he pointed at the lavender walls, "and _these!" _His expression was of absolute disgust as he pointed to the stuffed bears on the bed.

He walked over to the bed, picked up one of the bears and read: "To_ the loveliest flower of the bouquet_—" He gave Harry a you-must-be-kidding-me look before continuing. "_From he who shall be yours Vik—tor..._" Ron turned around to look at Hermione so fast that Harry heard his neck crack.

Hermione, who was really pink in the face, tried to look anywhere but at Ron.

"Is this—" Said Ron, "—_Your_ room, Hermione!"

"Well, yes, that's what I was trying to say..." Hermione was so pink now that her lips seemed whiter than her skin.

"And this bear, is—is it from Viktor Krum?" Ron demanded his ears red.

"Yes it is," said Hermione, "What's wrong with that! It's my life isn't it? Why do you even care anymore, Ron!" Her voice shook slightly, but she still kept a straight face.

Ron on the other hand looked incredulously at her.

"_He who shall be yours_?" Ron read from the card. "What, has he asked you to marry him or something!"

"Look, Ronald, I've had _enough _of rowing with you about Viktor! It's not for you to decide if I marry him or not—"

"So you _are_ marrying him!"

"Did I say that? _Did I_! Ron, just drop it, okay?" snapped Hermione.

"Right," said Ron, his ears now an embarrassed shade of pink. Apparently, he was looking for a change of subject; he had just realized Harry was in the room and listening to them. "Right then—er—so—er, so this is your room, eh? Explains all the books." He said with a shaky laugh.

Harry didn't know what to say, He knew it really bothered Ron that Hermione had spent the holiday with Krum, but thinking that she was going to marry him was another thing. Harry didn't how he would feel if Hermione showed up one day saying she was marrying Viktor Krum.

"So this is your room Hermione?" Harry repeated for no reason other than to talk, and he regretted this immediately as his voice was awkwardly high pitched. "I wonder why we're here. D'you think your parents are here?"

"Oh no!" Hermione said clapping a hand to her mouth, "maybe there's something wrong with my parents!" And without another word she ran the distance to the door, wrenched it open, and hurried down the hallway with Harry and Ron on her tail. They hurried down the stairs (Harry missed the last one and almost fell) and into the living room. There they found a number of familiar people.

Mad-Eye Moody was sitting on a black leather couch accompanied by Mr. Granger. Remus Lupin, Nimphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shaklebolt were in deep conversation with Mrs. Granger by a stunning crème-colored piano that matched the carped down to the complicated black patterns on it. Mr. Weasley was walking about the room looking at the many, many Muggle books on the black bookshelves covering the walls.

"Ah," said Lupin, smiling warmly "I see our guests of honor have arrived."

Everyone turned around to look at who had arrived.

Kingsley beamed happily at them while Mad-Eye growled a hello. Lupin, Tonks and Mr. Weasley hurried forward and hugged each one in turn, while Hermione's parents waved timidly at them.

"Had a nice trip?" Asked Moody and without waiting for an answer he said: "You must be wondering why we're here."

"Actually, we were" said Harry.

"Well," said Lupin, "Fawkes couldn't take you directly to headquarters, could he?"

"Why not?" asked Ron.

"Too risky, you might've been followed—"

"How can we be followed if we travel by phoenix?" Ron asked.

"Voldemort has his ways." Lupin answered making Ron wince at the mention of Voldemort's name.

"Right," said Harry "but then, why come _here_?"

"Because we needed a place close to headquarters." said Kingsley.

"And Mr. and Mrs. Granger here were nice enough to accept Dumbledore's request of bringing you all here."

"So where are we exactly?" asked Ron.

"London." Answered Hermione, who had gone and sat beside her mother.

"London!" exclaimed Ron. "You never told us you lived in London!"

"You never asked" Hermione said simply.

"_Hem hem_..." said Harry so Umbridge-like that he scared himself. "Anyway, why did we have to come two days earlier? Why the change of plans?"

"Order business," Growled Moody, his electric blue magical eye spinning wildly, looking in every direction then resting at a spot on the back of Moody's own head. "Very secret, couldn't tell you even if we wanted."

There was finality in his tone and Harry knew not to press on the subject.

"So, how're we getting to headquarters?" asked Harry, "Are we flying? Walking?"

"Driving." Said Mr. Weasley, finally getting away from the electrical plugs around the room. "It's not very far; I've got a Ministry car ready outside for us. We were expecting you would take more time actually. Er—Harry, where's your trunk?"

"Oh, it's in the tent," Harry said pointing to the bag-like tent Ron was carrying. "Ron said it would be lighter..."

"Good, good..." said Mr. Weasley vaguely, He was too busy checking his watch. "Well, we'd best be off. Thanks for having us." He added shaking hands excitedly with Hermione's parents.

The car ride to headquarters was really quiet. Everyone in the magically enlarged insides of the car kept mostly to themselves. Every now and then, though, someone would turn around, look at Harry sadly and then turn back.

Harry knew why they were acting this way; today would be the first time Harry would go to Sirius's house since his death. Harry dreaded the moment he would have to enter that house again. The house that forced Sirius to leave in the first place, the house where Sirius had spent his last Christmas, his last Easter, his last night. The house where Sirius had his last meal, not knowing that he was going to die so soon...

Harry could not bear to think about it anymore, so when they arrived at Grimmauld Place, he walked on the patch of unkempt grass in front of number eleven wishing that he could be anywhere but there. As the door of number twelve appeared out of thin air in between numbers eleven and thirteen, Harry remembered the first time he had ever seen the house. _Sirius was inside at the time..._he thought miserably_...alive, and waiting for me to arrive..._

A tear trickled down Harry's cheek, but he wiped it very fast with his sleeve so that the others couldn't see.

Lupin went up to the door, tapped it with his wand, and entered very quietly. The others followed suit. As soon as he was inside, Harry had the feeling of being trapped, it was as if someone had hold of his heart and was squeezing it firmly. He could not bear to see the place where his godfather was, mere hours before his death. Fighting very hard to suppress his tears, Harry walked on. They were heading down to the basement kitchen. His saddened feeling didn't improve as he descended the hard stone steps, his misery was taken a step higher each time he went a step lower.

A remarkable hug greeted Harry as he entered the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley wouldn't release him for a long while, then holding him at arm's length she said, trying to act cheerful: "My, you've grown!"

"I—er—yeah—er—thanks—" Harry croaked, he could not bring himself to say a whole sentence. It felt as if his heart was released and was now in his throat, blocking his ability to speak.

"Hello, Harry," said a deep familiar voice behind Mrs. Weasley.

Albus Dumbledore stood there, his long silver hair and beard trailing down a couple of feet. He was wearing robes of a light purple and an expression of deep concern.

"Hello, Professor," mumbled Harry.

"I trust you had a pleasant trip," said Dumbledore surveying them all through his half-moon spectacles. Then, indicating to the chairs around the long table, he added, "Please, sit down."

Harry sat in between Lupin and Ron, looking sadly at the table where, he knew, Sirius had his last meal. He sensed Dumbledore looking at him from behind and he felt very uncomfortable.

"With only weeks left before term starts, I decided that it was time we'd gotten you out of Privet Drive," Dumbledore said to the room in general. "Though it might be hard, and very painful for most, I must require you all to stay here in Grimmauld Place.

"Now Harry, Sirius has placed you as his heir, and wanted all his possessions to go to you. All, except this house which he has kindly given the Order." Dumbledore, who walked around the table and was now facing Harry, took off his glasses, wiped them slowly on his robes then put them back on his long crooked nose. "We will discuss what Sirius has left you later. For now there are more pressing matters we must discuss."

A long silence followed his words. No one except Dumbledore, who sank into a chair opposite Harry, moved. Dumbledore was looking at Harry but Harry couldn't bring himself to raise his head. With a great effort, he succeeded in raising his eyes to meet Dumbledore's

The sight of Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes gave Harry a more powerful urge to cry. Something about Dumbledore's calm old face saddened Harry even more, and he didn't know why. It felt as if he knew only one thing: that was that his was willowing in a deep pit of misery.

"I believe," Dumbledore finally continued, "that you might have many questions concerning what has been happening since last June. Feel free to ask as many questions as you please. I have decided that keeping you informed is better than keeping you in the dark with your imaginations running wild." He paused then looking at Harry, Ron and Hermione in turn he added, "Please, ask away."

"Wha—what's—how did the Order change since Fudge announced about Voldemort? Do you now go around the Ministry of Magic recruiting people or do you still work in secret?" Hermione asked timidly.

"Well, it's true the Order grew immensely since last June, but we still work as we worked before. Now though, more people are keen to join since they know what we've been saying was true." Explained Lupin.

"Is Fudge in it?" Ron asked.

"No, he's not so trustworthy—" Mr. Weasley answered.

"Git more like," Ron muttered under his breath so that only Harry could hear him.

"—Most of the people we have recruited during this last month were Foreigners. Some of them actually moved here to England to make relations easier, so you'll probably see foreign students at Hogwarts this year." Mr. Weasley continued.

"Hogwarts students? I thought you didn't accept anyone until they're out of school." Said Ron, frowning.

"Their parents are part of the Order, dear." Said Mrs. Weasley, making Ron's ears turn a light shade of pink.

"Er—what do you know about Voldemort?" said Harry, talking to a point over Hermione's shoulder. The people around the table tensed up and there was a collective wince at the mention of Voldemort's name. "What's he up to? I still didn't hear or read anythi—"

"That's because he's laying low like last year—" said Kingsley.

"—But we've no idea why this time," said Lupin grimly, "he's got us completely in the dark."

"Do you know any of his plans?" said Harry, now apparently interested in his fingernails.

"Some yes, some no, but _that,_" said Dumbledore "is a matter that will be kept for some time." He paused for a moment then continued, "I think that we have discussed enough for one day. It is almost time for the next Order meeting, you three better run off." Sure enough, a wizard in black robes and two witches, one in dark red robes and another, that looked no older than Harry, in blue robes, came into the kitchen.

"Ah," said Dumbledore "welcome to London!"

Everyone turned to look at the three people that just came in.

"These are the Mathers-Grints," said Dumbledore to the Order, Harry Ron and Hermione. "They've been in the order since I called it together, and on my request, moved here for a job I need them to do. This is Daniel," The wizard nodded at them, "this is Helen," the older witch uttered a small "hi", "and this is young Assia." The young witch in blue robes smiled at them.

"They will be staying here in Grimmauld place for a while, and Miss Mathers-Grint will be going to Hogwarts, I know we'll all make them feel welcome. Now, the meeting will start in a few minutes, so I think you four best be off. Oh, and Miss Granger, Miss Mathers-Grint will be staying in your room. I'm sure you and Miss Weasley won't mind."

"Not at all," said Hermione, smiling kindly at Assia.

The four of them got up and left the kitchen. Harry was thinking about what Lupin had said _'He's got us completely in the dark.' _Harry didn't like the sound of that. He liked it better when the Order was ahead of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Suddenly, Harry had a thought on how he could find out what Voldemort was up to, but he thought he should discuss it with Ron and Hermione first.

As soon as they were out of the kitchen, Hermione turned to Assia and said, "I'm Hermione Granger; this is Ronald Weasley and That's Harry Potter." Assia shook hands with each in turn as Hermione said their names.

"I'm—er—Assia Mathers-Grint," said Assia shyly.

"Yeah, we heard." Said Ron. "Where did you come from?"

"I'm American."

"Really!" said Hermione, delightedly. "What school did you go to?"

"Sortumos School of Witchcraft," said Assia proudly, as they ascended the steps into the landing. "It's an all witch school, no wizar—" She had to stop talking because Hermione has signaled her to.

"We can't talk here," whispered Hermione, "we'll wake the portraits and they're not very—er—friendly."

They crept quietly up the steps and past the stuffed elf heads. When they arrived at Harry and Ron's room they all entered and were greeted by Ginny.

"Hi!" She said brightly "I'm so glad you guys are here! I've been here by myself for two days and it's really boring! I wish Fred and George were here, too bad they've got so much work at the shop!"

"Missed you too." Said Ron sitting down on the bed.

Harry sat down next to him and Ginny and Hermione took seats on the opposite bed. Only Assia was left standing, looking as though she didn't know weather to sit or stand.

"Oh, this is Assia Mathers-Grint. She moved here from America because her parents have a job to do for the Order. She'll be going to Hogwarts." Hermione said to Ginny, and then turning to Assia she said, "This is Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister."

"Pleased to meet you," said Ginny as Assia finally took a seat next to Ginny.

"So you went to Sortumos?" asked Hermione. "I've read about it, it's really hard to get in... they only take the best of the best, don't they?"

"Yeah," said Assia, "but it's no big deal."

"What year are you in?" Hermione asked.

"I'll be going to sixth year at Hogwarts this year. I can't wait!"

"So you took O.W.L's last year?"

"Yeah."

"What were your scores?"

Assia looked hesitant, as if she didn't want to say her O.W.L scores. Harry didn't know why, if she went to Sortumos then she must have been really smart, her O.W.L scores wouldn't be so bad.

"What did you get?" She asked Hermione.

"I got nine 'Outstanding' and one 'Exceeds Expectation'. That's 10 O.W.L's. _So what did you get?"_

Assia still looked uncomfortable answering the question. Maybe it was because Hermione's high scores intimidated her, and if that was the case, Harry didn't blame her.

"I don't like to say," said Assia

"Oh, go on," said Ron "don't feel bad, no one can beat Hermione's score, it's not your fault—"

"It's not that," said Assia, "it's just that—"

"Just say it," said Ginny, "it's not like we'll laugh at you or anything."

"Fine," said Assia, "I got tev o sand O.W.L's." she said very so that none of them understood what she said.

"What!" said Ron, trying to understand what he had just heard

"Twelve 'Outstanding' O.W.L's." said Assia slowly, but in a voice that was barely audible.

"WHAT!" said Harry and Ron together. Hermione's face was alight with amazement, and Ginny stood up, looking down on Assia.

Assia's face turned pink and she looked down at the floor. "That's why I don't like to say." she mumbled

"Oh—er—wow, twelve 'Outstanding' O.W.L's—wow." said Harry incredulously.

"Well, you beat me." Said Ron

"It even beat Hermione," said Ginny as though that was the most amazing achievement ever. "You must be like, A GENIUS!"

"No, I'm not," said Assia as though Ginny had just insulted her, "I just study hard that's all..."

"Twelve—'Outstanding'—" said Hermione finally gaining consciousness. "But that's like—wow—and I read Sortumos' O.W.L's are the hardest in the world!"

"It's nothing..." Assia said with a sigh.

Harry could see that she didn't like it when people were amazed at her grades and he somewhat understood. He didn't like it when people stared at his scar, thinking he was great just because of it.

"So why are you staying here again?" Harry asked politely.

"Cause we still haven't found a house here yet, but my parents are still looking. I don't think they'll find one before the end of the vacation though, but by the time I'm back from Hogwarts, I'm sure they will." She said in a relieved tone, glad that they had finally changed the subject

At that moment the door opened and Tonks came in.

"Wotcher!" she said, "Meeting's over, Molly says to come down to dinner."

She walked over to the wardrobe and opened the door to look at herself on the mirror that hung on the door. Her hair, which was knee length and jet black today, turned short, spiky, and bright blue as she screwed up her eyes. She turned to face them all and asked, "Better?"

"Yeah, but I've always liked your hair in pink—yeah like that, now it's perfect." Said Ginny, smiling.

"This is Nymphadora Tonks," Hermione said to Assia, "She's a Metamorphmagus."

"Just call me Tonks, Nymphadora is—well—just call me Tonks..._what_ my mother was thinking, I don't know..." She said disapprovingly, shaking her head.

"I'm Assia Mathers-Grint," said Assia "I'm a Metamorphmagus too, I never met another Metamorphmagus before!" She added excitedly.

"You're a _Metamorphmagus?"_ Asked Harry in amazement

Assia seemed prouder of this then she was her grades. With a slight nod, she screwed up her eyes. Her curly black hair shortened into untidy short black hair exactly like Harry's, and when she opened her eyes for them to see, her dark brown eyes had turned brilliant green. Slowly, a lightning bolt scar crept up her forehead. One by one, her facial features changed only to be the exact replicas of Harry's.

They all burst into laughter as she got up and sat down next to Harry. They looked identical from the neck up. Harry looked sideways and was amazed; it was as if he was looking into a mirror.

"That's bloody brilliant!" said Ron laughing.

"Yes it is!" said Tonks "I can't do mimic Metamorphmagi like that, I can only do freeform. That's really good! Can you do your whole body?"

"Yeah, I can. Er—Harry can you stand up please, I need to see how tall you are."

A minute later, it was as if Harry had an identical twin. Assia was his exact replica. It felt bizarre standing there in front of himself, as if looking into a three dimensional mirror. He looked closer at her then burst out into laughter. "That's wicked cool!" He said.

She smiled at him, "Thanks," she said, and then screwing up her eyes again, she changed herself back. Shoulder length curly black hair, brown eyes, and a small rounded nose, as tall as Ron and built like half of Dudley.

"Tonks, I sent you to get them ages ago. What's taking you so long?" Mrs. Weasley was at the door.

"We were just coming down mum," said Ginny.

"Well come on then, we won't wait forever." Snapped Mrs. Weasley and they all followed her out of the room.

Down in the kitchen, Harry found that much of the Order had stayed for dinner. Kingsley was helping Bill Weasley set the table and Charlie Weasley was helping his father prepare the dinner. Mundungus Fletcher sat by himself at the far end of the table looking at something under his lumpy cloak. Tonks walked forward to help Lupin and Moody, who were binning empty wine bottles that littered the table, but Mrs. Weasley stopped her.

"I think they can handle it by themselves," said Mrs. Weasley kindly, "why don't you go help Professor Snape?"

Harry felt an upsurge of hate by just hearing Snape's name. He turned around and saw the greasy hair and prominent nose of his potion's teacher, sitting at the end of the table, reading the _Daily Prophet._

"What's _he_ doing here?" said Harry to Mrs. Weasley in a whisper that he knew would carry out across the room. "Shouldn't he be doing something else, like, oh I don't know," said Harry sarcastically, "maybe_ planning a wedding_!" Harry's fury awoke once more.

"Well, well," said Snape in a bored voice, looking up from the paper, "looks like Potter knows more than he should." He paused for a minute then continued in the coldest of voices. "It is none of your business what I do or," he smiled, "who I _marry_."

"Why are you here? I thought you didn't like it here!" Spat Harry in a voice just as cold as Snape's

"I do not want to be here, _although,"_ he added, an evil grin spreading across his face, "being here has improved since a certain _scum_ has left it."

Harry didn't know how he got hold of his wand, or how he was so close to Snape so fast. Pointing his wand to Snape's chest, he said "How _dare_ you! _HOW DARE YOU_! NEVER TALK ABOUT SIRIUS LIKE THAT, D'YOU HEAR ME! _NEVER_!"

Harry ignored everyone else in the room who dropped what they were doing and were now telling him to stop, to drop his wand and to not be stupid. All he cared about was hurting Snape as much as he could.

"I can talk about whoever I want, however I want," said Snape in (unlike Harry) a calm voice.

"_Stup_—!_"_ Harry began, but Lupin had already yelled "_Expelliarmus_!"

Harry's wand flew out of his hand and landed with a loud _clank_ on the table.

"Harry! What were you thinking?" Yelled Mrs. Weasley.

But Harry didn't answer; he picked up his wand, wheeled around and strode across the room. Fuming, he wrenched open the door and slammed it behind him with a very loud _BANG _that woke up all the portraits, but he didn't care.

When he reached the second landing, he opened the door to his and Ron's room, entered and closed the door behind him, muffling the screams of "MUDBLOODS, HALF-BLOODS, HALF-BREEDS, BLOOD TRAITORS SCUM, SOILING MY—." That's when he saw him. A man with long black hair was sitting on his bed.

"Sirius!" Harry said breathlessly, excitement rushing through his blood.


	6. The Disappearance

_**Chapter 6: The Disappearance. **_

The man turned around. Harry felt the happiest he had ever felt, he was looking strait into his godfather's face.

"S—S—Sirius!" Harry gasped, tears of happiness and frustration running down his cheeks, "Is that really you?"

"Harry," said Sirius, in an echo-like voice, "Harry, use…" His voice was getting lower and lower, "Harry, use The Di…" His voice died.

Sirius looked wildly down at himself; he was becoming transparent, until, slowly he disappeared.

Harry rushed to the place where his godfather was seconds ago. His toe collided painfully with the foot of the bed, but he didn't care. He sat down at the same exact spot Sirius was sitting. Did he really see Sirius? Or was it just because he wanted to see him so badly that he imagined him? Was he really there? He talked to Harry, didn't he? What did he say? "Use the Di—."

"Use the what!" Harry spoke aloud to the ceiling, rubbing his aching toe. "Sirius! Sirius!"

It was no good, Sirius wasn't answering. Harry wasn't even sure he had seen Sirius. He was very confused, so confused that he had forgotten his anger towards Snape.

There was a small knock on the door.

"Leave me alone!" shouted Harry bitterly.

The knock came again. This time Harry got up and walked to the door; it might have been Sirius again. He was disappointed to find Ginny at the door.

"Can I come in?" She asked.

"Sure." Harry said in a voice that showed he didn't mean what he said.

"I came to talk to—." She began.

"I don't need to talk." Snapped Harry.

"To you," she continued as though he had not interrupted her, "about that poem I wrote. I wanted to know if you'd read it. You know the one that was put in the daily prophet on July 31st."

"Yeah," said Harry, suddenly feeling that he did in fact want to talk to her. "Yeah, I did"

"Did you like it? I wrote it as soon as Ron told me about what he was planning. It didn't take me long to write, all I did was put on paper what I felt. The hard part was making it rhyme." She stopped abruptly. There was a long pause in which they would look at each other, meet each other's eye, and then look away.

"Harry…" she continued, "Harry, I know you miss him, I miss him too. We all do. I loved Sirius as much as you loved him. Don't think it was just you." Harry felt a pang of guild deep in his stomach. "When Snape said that down in the kitchen, don't you think _I_ wanted to blow his damn head off?"

"But you didn't—"

"_Yes_, I didn't! I controlled my anger, and I didn't want to show Snape that he'd gotten to me."

All she was saying made sense. He didn't know what to say. He raised his eyes to meet hers.

"Thanks." He said, a smile curling the sides of his lips.

"You're welcome." She said, smiling back "Let's go back down to dinner, everyone's waiting."

Everyone in the kitchen acted as if nothing had happened when Ginny and Harry entered the room. Four chairs were left empty at the table (two on either side of Snape.) Harry took the one beside Assia, and Ginny took the one between him and Snape (she sifted her chair away from Snape as she sat down.)

Ginny took Harry's plate and filled it with mashed Potatoes and steak, then took her own and did the same. Harry looked longingly at his plate; He hadn't eaten anything since last night. With immense pleasure Harry dug his fork into the potatoes and began eating.

After filling themselves up, everyone (except Snape who didn't eat but just sat there muttering something under his breath) chatted merrily amongst themselves. Hermione could be heard talking excitedly with Assia.

"How did you know _that_? Even most of the students at Hogwarts don't know that much about it and it's their school!" she said apparently amazed at something Assia had said. "I think I might be the only one in the whole school that knows."

"I read it in _Hogwarts: A History," _said Assia. "It's really interesting. Did you ever read it?"

"_Yes I have_! I didn't know you had too…"

Harry stopped listening to them, their subject of conversation wasn't of any interest to him, in fact the more he heard Hermione talk about _Hogwarts, a History_, the less he wanted to read it. Instead he looked further along the table where Charlie was talking to Ron.

"My favorite trick was always the Vertical Flip," Charlie was explaining, "of course I was never keeper so I never had a chance to try it, but you could."

"Vertical flip?" asked Ron "How's it done?"

"Well, it looks easy enough. You either flip forward or backwards on your broom then hit the Quaffle with the back end of your broom."

"Yeah, easy." Said Ron sarcastically, in a discouraged voice.

"Don't worry little bro, I'll teach you." Charlie said, ruffling Ron's hair as if Ron was a five year old.

"Really?" Ron said excitedly, apparently he didn't mind Charlie treating him as a little boy as long as he got to learn a cool Quidditch trick.

"Sure, whenever I have time."

"Great!" exclaimed Ron, beaming.

Across from Harry, Mr. Weasley was talking to Lupin and Moody in a hushed voice. Harry couldn't hear what they were saying over the blather. He turned around to see that Ginny had been looking, as he had, around the table.

"Are Fred and George part of the Order yet?" Harry asked her, being reminded so much of them by looking at her face.

"Well, yes, but they don't get to go to the meetings yet so they don't know all that's been going on. Mum won't let them, but they'll be able to by next meeting. It took the combined efforts of Lupin, Mad-Eye, Tonks and Dad to convince mom to let them." She laughed.

"And, er," Harry lowered his voice dramatically "_Percy_? Has he come around?"

"Not yet" said Ginny in a voice as low as Harry's, throwing anxious looks over at her parents, "we haven't heard from him at all, Dad says he hasn't seen him at the Ministry since Fudge announced about You-Know-Who."

"Oh," said Harry, "I thought that _by now_—"

"Yes, we all did" she said, shaking her head sadly.

"No one's seen him?"

"Nope."

"Heard from him?"

"Nothing."

"You don't think something's wrong, do you?"

"No _I_ don't, but Mum does. I keep telling her that if there was something wrong we would've heard, but she won't listen. She's been in a right state about Percy, Mum has."

Harry looked to his left where Mrs. Weasley was sitting Next to bill. They were having the usual argument about bill's hair. She looked very tired and about ten years older than she really was; she seemed to have lost a lot of weight since Harry had last seen her. Suddenly he remembered Mrs. Weasley's Boggart; he had seen it last year in the drawing room floor turn into a dead Percy.

"I only wish we knew!" Lupin's voice interrupted Harry's train of thought.

"We'll know by next meeting, Dumbledore's sending Snape isn't he? We'll find out, he always gets us the information that we need." Said Mr. Weasley.

This immediately reminded Harry of what he wanted to do to find out what Voldemort was up to. He turned back to his right where Hermione was sitting, caught her eye and gave her a look that she understood. She nodded and turned to Ron, It took a while before Ron understood what she wanted but when he did, he looked at Harry, and then nodded.

Harry got up and immediately Ron and Hermione followed.

"Where are you going, dears?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"We're going to get our things out of the tent," said Hermione at once, "we've left them there since the morning, there's some food there that might have gone bad too."

"Alright then," said Mrs. Weasley, "can you set it up in the Drawing room when you finish please? We're going to have a few more arrivals tomorrow and we're going to need the space."

"Yeah, ok mum." Said Ron closing the kitchen door behind him.

They walked quietly up the narrow steps onto the landing, past the stuffed elf heads and up the other set of steps until they reached the second floor landing. Harry opened the door to his and Ron's room expectantly; last time he had done so, Sirius was sitting on the bed. This time Sirius was not there.

"What's up?" asked Ron looking questioningly over at Harry who stood frozen in the doorway.

"Sirius." Harry Breathed as they went inside and sat down. His plan about Voldemort pushed out of his mind yet again.

"You finally want to talk abou—" Hermione began.

"No, not that," said Harry, "before, when I came up, I saw…" Harry explained about what he saw before he went down to dinner.

There was a moment's silence in which Ron and Hermione exchanged looks that told Harry they thought he was insane. He knew they would think him insane, even he, Harry, thought he was insane as he heard himself talk.

"H—Harry," whispered Hermione as though to an overemotional infant "It couldn't—I mean are you _sure_ it was Sirius?"

"Yes, I'm _sure_!" lied Harry "he talked to me didn't he? I couldn't have imagined that! He said ' Use the D—something!' then he disappeared."

"But Harry!" she said desperately "Sirius is—is, he's dead, Harry!"

"I know he is!" yelled Harry angrily," I'm not insane you've got to believe me! I know what I saw and I saw—_SIRIUS_!"

Sirius was once again appearing slowly, sitting on Harry's bed. He grinned widely at them.

"Don't worry you're not insane." He said casually.

"_Sirius_? Is—is that really you, mate!" said Ron, wide-eyed.

"Yes it is." Smiled Sirius.

"But you're—you're—" sputtered Hermione.

"Dead? Yeah, I know." Said Sirius.

He turned around as though looking at something behind his back, then he turned back to look at them with an alarmed look.

"Look, I haven't got much time," he said, "I just came to tell you to use the Dis—_oh damn!" _He looked down at his semi-transparent body.

"Use the _what_!" Harry urged.

"Use the Disappearance…" Sirius's voice still echoed as he disappeared.

"Use the Disappearance?" Repeated Hermione to herself, "The Disappearance…The Disappearance! _Of course!_ He wants us to use the Disappearance!" and without another word she got up and left the room.

_ "Why does she always do that!"_ said Ron, irritated, and Harry shrugged his shoulders.

About a minute later, Hermione came back carrying the tent in her arms.

"Come on." She said as though Harry and Ron knew everything that was going on.

"Come where?" said Ron.

"The Drawing room to set up the tent."

"But—but—" Ron uttered, mutely pointing to the place where Sirius sat minutes ago.

"Yes, I know, just _come!_ We can talk about it in the tent."

She walked out and they followed suite. As they walked to the drawing room, Harry and Ron exchanged looks of curiosity; what on earth was Hermione up to?

They arrived to the first floor with still no explanation from Hermione. They entered the long, high-ceilinged drawing room, its olive green walls still covered in dirty tapestries. While Hermione set up the tent, Harry walked across the room to where The Black Family tapestry hung.

"Wait a second…" whispered Harry slowly "LOOK!" he added pointing out a spot at the bottom of the family tree.

"Look at what?" said Hermione and Ron in unison.

"That!" Harry jabbed his finger at the spot. The words: Bellatrix Black were connected by a double gold line to Rodolphus Lestrange

"Of course!" exclaimed Harry "I saw this last year! Bellatrix Lestrange is already married!"

"But if so, how could she marry Snape? She can't possibly have 2 husbands!" asked Ron.

"I don't know…" said Hermione ponderously.

"How long does it take to set up a bloody tent!" came a voice from behind. Mrs. Weasley was standing at the doorway looking impatiently at them all.

"We were just about to set it up mom." Said Ron.

"Just _now! _You came up here more than half an hour ago, what on earth were you doing!"

"We were looking for the tent." Said Hermione at once, "Ron forgot where he put it, but I found it in my room" Ron shot her an angry look before reluctantly turning to his mother and nodding.

"Well, you best not linger now, go on set it up."

"Okay, mum." Said Ron closing the drawing room door behind his mother then turning around to face Harry and Hermione he added "We _have_ to find out what Snape's up to!"

"No we don't." spoke Harry, surprising both Ron and Hermione.

"What do you mean?" asked Ron, staring at Harry as though he had an extra eye. "Why not?"

"_Because_," uttered Harry "Us meddling in things we ought not to is what got Sirius killed in the first place."

Ron was about to reply but stopped by the look Hermione shot him. After a couple of minutes, Hermione thought it acceptable to speak again.

"Let's set up the tent before Mrs. Weasley comes back again."

After setting it up (which only took about a second,) Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the tent. Inside Hermione directed them into the third floor and into one of the rooms. There Hermione took out her trunk and opened it. From the depths of her trunk she pulled out a book the size of a matchbook and looked back at Harry and Ron.

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"A very interesting book that is going to come in very handy for us!" she answered.

"You read books that are less than five hundred pages long!" Ron asked sarcastically.

"_Yes,_ anyway, _Harry_ this book is called _Converse with the Departed_, Professor McGonagall gave it to me last term for some research I was doing."

"And how does that help us?" asked Ron.

"Don't you get it Ronald? This book is about talking to the dead, and it has a whole section about The Disappearance." She answered.

"So Sirius wants us to talk to him?" asked Harry

"Yes" answered Hermione; she opened the book, took out a magnifying glass and held it up to page twelve. The writing was so minuscule that it was still hard to distinguish, even with the magnifying glass. "It says here: _'The Disappearance is an object that none see similarly, like a boggart it forms for each special individual. Its powers are many and only little are known. One of its most popular powers is its ability to form a connection between deceased and alive. We that roam the earth can communicate with those who have moved on. This power's mysteries are many; those who have studied The Disappearance cannot yet manage to fathom how it functions. None know what dangers this powerful object may hold, thus it is kept away from wizards, hidden well by The Ministry of Magic.'"_

Her words echoed in Harry's head, this bit of information made him so happy that he felt lightheaded. He never loved Hermione's bookishness more than now. "That is the single best piece of news I've ever heard in my life!" He said more to himself than to his friends, "There's still hope, there's still hope!"

Hermione smiled wide, and Ron grinned at them both. This had to be the happiest moment Harry's spent with his friends since Sirius's death. It felt like everything was back to normal again, just like how it used to be.

**_NOTE: GUYS I'M SO SORRY I TOOK SO LONG! I'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO POST THIS UP, SCHOOL'S REALLY TOUGH, AND I'VE HAD REALLY DIFICULT CLASSES.But now that summer's here, i've had time to put up chapter 6 after the biggest cliffhanger so far in ch 5!_**

**_DONT EVER THINK THAT I'LL STOP WRITING MY FANFIC, CAUSE I WONT TILL I FINISH! I'm currently working on ch 7. hope you enjoyed...REVIEW!_**


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